What Kyo Stands For
by AngelLucifel
Summary: Kyo has been suppressed and beaten down all his life. But he finally finds someone who can liberate him, and of course Akito wants to take it away. But this time Kyo has something to stand for, and he will stand firmly. Songfic! Oneshot!


**I do not own the characters or places represented here. Whoever owns Fruits Basket does. Also, the song is "The Bell" and belongs to Stephen Smith. I suggest listening to it while reading. It's a very good song.**

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What Kyo Stands For

_"Oh where are you going?" said the man at his desk  
"I'm going to a new world," said the child and he stood  
And he stood, and he stood, and t'were well that he stood  
"I'm going to a new world," said the child and he stood_

The Sohma family did not care much for Kyo. He knew that, which is why he was surprised when, as he made his way through the Sohma house-hold courtyard, a soft voice stopped him, inquiring where he was heading to. He turned his head, and saw Akito sitting by his window, leaning out toward Kyo with that misty looks on his face. He felt rage bubbling up in his chest, more so than normal, when looking at this man. For all the reasons and ways others hated Kyo, this man was the worst. He had _no_ reason, and his methods were to make sure everyone else believed there was good cause. There was one man in the world who did not believe all those lies and bullshit, and Kyo was not about to stop on his one-way runaway to meet that man for a much longed-for training session in the mountains, where nothing could find them and interrupt their world where no one was out of place because there was only place enough for them.

"I'm leaving." Kyo replied.

"Oh, and going where?"

"To train." He hated Akito, but he knew he had to answer, details just weren't important.

"With whom?"

"Sensei."

Akito's gaze hardened as he stared Kyo down. It was no secret that Akito was unhappy with Kazuma for the way he took Kyo in. He hated all love shared between people that did not include him, ever jealous of those happier than he, ever spiteful at his lot in life. Only Kyo and Kazuma dared to care about each other and not hide it. Kazuma was all Kyo had for a father, and he wouldn't let Akito smother it. When Akito said no more, Kyo rolled his eyes and turned away, walking off to his own life.

_"Oh I'm sounding drums of war," said the man at his desk  
"Oh, I will not fight your war," said the child and he stood  
And he stood, and he stood, and t'were well that he stood  
"I will not fight your war," said the child and he stood_

After many months in the mountains, Kyo found himself dumped back with a patch of that group that rejected him so thoroughly. But there was a difference now, a soft spot in a jagged world. For however long it was (he never bothered to keep track exactly) he sunk into that gentle piece of the world and was overwhelmed by the fact of how happy it made him.

Everyone loved her. And she loved him. And for some reason, in some incredible way, that made the others sit, sigh, and slowly see things through her eyes. He was being accepted, slowly…impossibly…

Of course, as with all good things in his life, Akito wanted to kill it. It was soon apparent that Akito was out to end what was happening at Shigure Sohma's house.

Everyone loved her, but when that was also declared bad and not allowed, they all pulled back, fell silent, and as they moved away from her they turned their backs to Kyo again.

He would not stand for that.

_"Oh, but don't you love your country?" said the man at his desk  
"Yes, I do, but you don't," said the child and he stood  
And he stood, and he stood, and t'were well that he stood  
"I do but you don't," said the child and he stood_

Kyo asked others why they would not support him in his rebellion, why they didn't feel as though they too should defend the girl who had entered their lives and helped each and every one of them through the horrid pieces of life they all had. They all just gave him sad, dejected looks, turned those looks to the floor and shook their heads.

No one would dare to argue with Akito. He was head of the household, he decided what was best—they would be hurting the family if they went against him. They all believed that. Akito had slunk that deeply into their minds. They were all to used to sitting quietly and letting him have his way, letting him guide them, but Kyo—Kyo had always stood against him and rebelled and fought for his right to think clearly. He had been called stupid and selfish, but now he saw that in the end, this_was _for his family. They had found something now that could save them all, and because of his prior actions, he was now the only one that would fight for it. For the good of the family. How ironic; their little outcast coming back to save their lives.

So, one day during a hot afternoon Kyo strolled back into the main Sohma family compound and marched into Akito's office. He stormed across the room and sat heavily across from Akito, staring at him over the low tea-table which was currently laid out with his lunch dishes, all lavish and delicately pretty. He sat firmly and waited for Akito to acknowledge him.

_"Oh, but do you know the truth?" said the man at his desk  
"Yes, you lie and call it truth," said the child and he stood  
And he stood, and he stood, and t'were well that he stood  
"You lie and call it truth," said the child and he stood  
_

"Akito." Kyo snarled, finally losing patience, and the man lazily lifted his head and looked at him.

"How rude, Kyo. I thought Kazuma had at least taught you manners."

"Why are you trying to hurt her?"

"Because, can't you see? She's hurting the family, causing conflict and doubt—"

"Only with your twisted words! Those are the only things she conflicts with!"

They stared at each other across the table, the air connecting them solidified by the tension between them. Akito leaned towards Kyo, with a sad, condescending smile on his face.

"Kyo, don't you see? This family is very delicate, we need each other, and we're the _only ones _that can support each other. She's just—a virus. Making us all weak so we can no longer hold each other up. And then when she runs away, like they always do, we'll all come tumbling down."

Kyo's face twisted into a smirk. "It doesn't work on me Akito. Everyone else just nods and lets you make up your little stories. Not me. I know what you're trying. You can shove it up your ass and listen to me—you're not kicking her out."

Akito's face sobered and Kyo felt a satisfied rush. Akito finally realized just who Kyo was and how strong a man he could be. He had always underestimated that fact, never realized that all the taunting and separation had not and never would break Kyo—only make him stronger. Now there was a man nearly invincible to all his games and firmly set upon destroying his position in the family sitting across from him, and Kyo did not imagine the flicker of fear in his eyes.

_"Oh, you must be scared to die," said the man at his desk  
"No, I'm prepared and you're scared," said the child and he stood  
And he stood, and he stood, and t'were well that he stood  
"I'm prepared and you're scared," said the child and he stood  
_

"What of the curse Kyo?" Akito whispered. "Yours especially is so rough. And you_know _what I can do if I want. Just because you don't answer to me does not mean I don't still have power."

"You threatening me? You think if you tell me this I'll suddenly back down and stop defending her? No. No I think about my frailty _every _day. I know exactly how weak I am and what can happen to me and every choice I make is made with that in mind. If I risk my life, it's really worth risking it. What about you, Akito? You hide behind so much you DO forget sometimes, don't you? Do you realize how easy it would be to just let you wither away? You just have them all tied so tightly to you they'd never let it happen. And that's why you fear her, because she's pulling them away and you can't get them back, and without them surrounding you, assuring you that you're not the pathetic, weak, slimy worm you are, you're scared to death."

Akito was trembling, his eyes wide and his hands gripping his table so tightly his knuckles were white and his nails chipped the wood. He and Kyo stared at each other, Akito twitching and searching for words, a cover-up, something to make himself calm down and realize this boy was merely bluffing. He could not find anything, Kyo was staring back at him so firmly and coolly that Akito was broken and could not even force some weak lie. Instead he growled;

"I still have power yet Kyo, maybe not over you—but others. And if I can't hurt you directly there are ways—"

Kyo jumped to his feet, crying out in rage and flipping over the table, sending the china crashing to the floor. Akito jumped back, horrified and in shock; looking up at Kyo as if he were some demonic beast. Kyo glared back down at him, fuming, standing over him with his teeth bared and his fists clenched.

"Threaten the people I love again, and I will kill you where you sit." Kyo hissed.

_"Oh, I think I hear a bell," said the man at his desk  
"Yes, it's ringing you to hell," said the child and he stood  
And he stood, and he stood, and t'were well that he stood  
"Yes, it's ringing you to hell," said the child and he stood_

What more could Akito say? Kyo shook his head at him, turned away, and stalked out of the room proudly, shoulders squared, his head held high.

Akito quivered and collapsed, and could hardly raise himself up again. Kyo had stood him down and emancipated the family that had once held him down.

And he stood for those things important to him all his life, without question and without fail.

Fin

1/24/08

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**I was listening to this song, and thought "man this would be a perfect song for a fruits basket song fic…" I considered Momiji since I had just written "Perspectives on Lies, Happiness and Love" but in the end it just suited Kyo a lot better. I hope it turned out ok. I don't do song-fics often, only when they're perfect like this. **

**It's supposed to be something that could have happened, one of those little ways the story could have gone. Basically I just wanted Kyo to lay the smack down on Akito. Aww, yeah. **

**Anyway, I've really been writing a LOT of Fruits Basket, geesh. Hope you liked it! Please leave a review! Even just a quick hello to let me know you read/enjoyed (hopefully) it. **

**Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated.**

**Thanks!**

**Angel Lucifel**


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